Abstract:

"The tropical African termite genera Firmitermes Sjöstedt, Hoplognathotermes Silvestri, Acutidentitermes, new genus, Duplidentitermes, new genus, and Heimitermes Grassé and Noirot, are described, and their phylogenetic relations are discussed. Four described species are redescribed and figured, and four new species are described and figured. All exhibit relatively primitive characters within the subfamily Termitinae of the family Termitidae. The genus Firmitermes and its type species F. abyssinicus, known only from a unique holotype soldier from Ethiopia, is redescribed and figured. ?Firmitermes tripolitanus (Sjöstedt), known only from the imago caste from Ethiopia, is redescribed from one cotype and a number of recently collected specimens. This species was formerly included in 'Eutermes' and 'Trinervitermes,' but is now assigned to ?Firmitermes with considerable doubt. The genus Hoplognathotermes is revised, and a cotype soldier and worker of the type species, H. subterranus Silvestri from French Guinea, are redescribed and figured. A species described from the worker only under the name 'Hoplognathotermes submissus Silvestri' is removed from Hoplognathotermes and is placed among the species listed under unclassified genera. Acutidentitermes, new genus, and A. osborni, new species, are described and figured from a soldier and workers from the Belgian Congo. Duplidentitermes, new genus, and the type species, D. furcatidens (Sjöstedt), formerly placed in Hoplognathotermes and known from imagoes, soldiers, and workers from the French Congo, French Equatorial Africa, are described and figured. Duplidentitermes jurioni, new species, and D. latimentonis, new species, both known from soldiers from the Belgian Congo, are described and figured. The genus Heimitermes is redescribed. Heimitermes moorei, new species, is described and figured from soldiers and workers from the Belgian Congo. Heimitermes laticeps Grassé and Noirot, known from soldiers and workers from French Equatorial Africa and Gabon, is compared to H. moorei"--P. 40.

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American Museum NovitatesNovitates (Latin for "new acquaintances"), published continuously and numbered consecutively since 1921, are short papers that contain descriptions of new forms and reports in zoology, paleontology, and geology. New numbers are published at irregular intervals.